NJ Monthly Ranks RBR Within the Top 50 New Jersey High Schools

Red Bank Regional (RBR) is delighted to once again be recognized by NJ Monthly as one of the top high schools in New Jersey.  

Furthermore, it catapulted its rank this year moving from 61 in the 2010 report to 41 for 2012. It also represents the third highest-ranked high school in Monmouth County behind Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School, at 10, and Holmdel High School, at 13. 

Only two Monmouth County public schools made the list — Matawan Regional, at 92, and Ocean Township, at 95. It is important to note that RBR continues to improve in this ranking with a diversified socio-economic student population.

The magazine evaluated 328 high schools using data from the State of New   Jersey’s Department of Education 2010-2011 Report Card (se http://education.state.nj.us/rc/rc11/index.html.)        

For the past decade, RBR has been busy implementing its philosophy of smaller learning communities, where every student has an opportunity to study in a separate academy of their interest with a great deal of support from a dedicated staff and administration. It begins with the Summer Slam freshman transitional program to better prepare students for their first year of high school.  Block scheduling allows RBR teachers to delve deeply into subject matter using the most effective hands-on educational strategies.  Staff development has always been a top priority at RBR, which is noted for its educational innovation.

The added value of a School-based Youth Services Program, The SOURCE, along with an exceptional school counseling program, helps remove obstacles that might deter a student from focusing on their education. Most importantly, RBR decided a long time ago to challenge every student to take the most rigorous coursework, offering such support programs as pre- Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) programs in the summertime and the AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) college preparatory program, which challenges the average student to reach higher goals during their high school career. 

As a result of the latter, more RBR students take AP and IB classes each year, and, unlike most school districts, the students are required to take the courses’ rigorous standardized tests. 

RBR also enjoys tremendous community and parental support with three foundations working to provide resources in a fiscally tight budget and a dedicated PTO. Over the years, the school has been successful in securing and administering a strong educational grant program. 

RBR Superintendent Jim Stefankiewicz comments on the recognition of RBR’s outstanding educational standing, stating, “We are proud of what we have
accomplished. It is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our students, staff and administration. Our students understand that it is imperative for them to gain comprehensive skills in order for them to be well-prepared in the competitive global economy. Our breadth of programs affords all students the opportunity to focus in on their passion. This often translates to high achievement.” 

As reported in its Aug. 20, 2012, article, The NJ Monthly criteria used in the
rankings included: 

• School Environment – This encompasses primarily the sum of standardized rank scores for average class size, student/faculty ratio; percentage of
  faculty with advanced degrees and the number of AP tests offered.
• Student Performance – This includes the sum of standardized rank scores for average combined SAT scores; the percentage of students showing advanced proficiency on the state HSPA mandated graduation test and scores of 3 or higher on AP tests.
• Student Outcomes –This represents a single score based on a the new graduation-rate calculation introduced in 2011, which measures the number of students who enrolled as freshman and successfully graduated four years later. 

For more information on the NJ Monthly high school ranking visit their website at
http://njmonthly.com/articles/towns_and_schools/top-new-jersey-high-schools-2012-.html.